Process of making zinc chlorid.



No. 883,426. PATEN'IED MAIL-31, 1908.

' R. R. RUST.

PROCESS OF MAKING ZINC GHLORID. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12. 1905.

' whichzis effectedjjby evaporation is Zinc C ilorid, of Which thc followi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT R. BUST, OF WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS.

PROCESS OF MAKING ZINC CHLORID.

of Waukegan, county of Lake, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Processes of Making is declared to be a'full, clear, and exact escriptron.

The invention relates to the manufacture of zinc chlorid from ores or other zinkiferous' 'material and seeks to provide a simple method by which the material may be submitted to'the action of hydrochloric acid gas for. the direct production of a highly concentrated solution of zinc chlorid.

The usual method heretofore for making Zinc chlorid consists in treating metallic or' I zinc oxid in a suitably lined tank or vessel with a solution of hydrochloric acid to dissolve the zinc in theform of chlorid. The solution is drawn off and zinc oxi'd is added to precipitate impurities.- 7- The solution thus obtained does not usually contain more than 50% of zinc chlorid,.but the tradeprefers a much stronger solution. The concenpliiation yexpensive since the dissociation of t e zinc chlorid solution at' ,high temperature into zinc hydro-oxid' and hydrochloric acid, ne cessitates the use of small enameled pans for the concentration of the chlorid solution.v

.In accordance with the present invention,.

oxidized zinkiferous material isadmixed with a small quantity of wateror other suitable liquid, to form a pulp or shine. The water or other suitable liquid forms a vehicle or carrier through aid of which, the material is broughtinto immediate contact with the h gas or fumes by flowin t e mixed eharge of material and all 'liqui carrier in'layers over suitablesurfaces. surfaces or baffles are referably arranged within a suitable closed chamber or tower into which theliquid or Water'vehicle carrying the pulverized material in suspension is introduced at the top andflows downwardly over the bafiies, meeting the acid fumes which rise therein. up-by the obstructions or bafiies intoseparate portions or divided masses, and exposed in thinlayers over-a large surface to the-gas which fills the space about the massage of charge and may thus effectively exert the desired chemical and solvent action. B this method very highly concentrated soluearthen ware and are alternate The The charge is thus broken] Patented March 31, 1908 tion of zinc chlorid may be formed so that no rther concentration is necessary. I In the accompanying drawings, is illustrated one form of apparatus which may be 'employed in carrying out the improved One of the chambers or towers is' process. shown in section.

The towers a, I) and c, of which several are I be formed of material capable of resisting the 'corroding action of any chemicals employed. The towers to resist the corrosive action of the acid gas conveniently formed of sections of tiling, as shown, may be placed one upon the other. The bafiies are in the form of conesh a ed and inverted cone-sha ed plates 10 an v11, .which are formed of orcelain or y arranged within the tower on su porting lugs 12. The ed es of the conical piates 10 are spaced from th while the inverted cone-shaped plates 11 are provided with centra openings 13. The slope of the baflies is slight so that the circulation or flow of the charge through the tower is slow and ample time afforded for the action of the treating fumes. The gas inlet -l1Uhlower-end of each tower is connected to the outlet at the upper end of the receding tower by a conduit 14, while the fi ist tower a of the series, is con nectedat its lower end to a generator g or other suitable source of supply, by a conduit :15. Above the upper end of each tower, is a mixing tank 16 provided with an agitator 17 suitable construction. The several of an cham ers or towers communicate with the tanks 16 through inlet pipes 18 having valves 1119.1 A pipe 20 for water or other liquid ve- 1c zles 21 leading to the several tanks 16.

. Below each chamber or tower is arranged a mixin tank 22 havin an agitator 23, and into which lead the va ved-outlet pipes 24 from the ad'acent towers. Any suitable means may' e employed for forcing the slime or mixed charge of li uid vehicle and ground material from each 0 the tanks 22 to the tanks 16 above the preced' tower of the series. Preferably, receptac es or socalled .acid eg s 25, may be arranged beneath the tan s 22, which communicate therewith through the valved pipes 26. The charge is forced from the receptacles 2.5

e sides of the tower, as indicated,

e or carrier, is provided with valved nozthroughpipes 27 to the tanks 16, by aid of air under pressure admitted to" the receptacles from a pipe 28.

In carrying out the improved process, the the zinc or other 'zinkiferous material is first roasted, if necessary to oxidize it, and is finely ground with a small quantity of water in the tank 16 above the chamber or tower c, and'may be mixed therein by agitator 17 or in a preliminary mixing. tank to form a strongest fumes act u on'the weakest portions of the charge an vice versa;

In each tower, the slime or mixed charge ulverized solid and liquid vehicle is bro en up by the baffle plates 10 and 11 into' separate portions or divided masses and is spread'out inthin layers over the. surface of e baflies so that it is placed in intimate relation to the gas in the tower that fills the space therein about the divided masses or thin layers of charge, or, in other words, charge 1s ex osed over a large area thereto, so that the esired solvent or chemical action of the gas u on the pulverized solid carried by the iqui vehicle or carrier, may. proceed ra id-1y and efficiently- If necessary, the c arge may be agitated in each of the tanks IG, and 22 to mix its ingredients and insure that the ground materia suspension and will .not settle cut. as it is assed through the a paratus. Ifdesired, esh ulverized zinkif adde in each of the tanks 16.

Hydrochloric acid gas is made'in en ment of common salt with sulfuric acid.' The acid fumes pass fromthe generator through pipe 15 which is preferably of considerab e' length so as to -cool the as,- and in which is interposed the coolin amber 29, Which. serves to tra out any %i uid, of condensation. From-t e cooling- 0 amber 29,

the hydrochloric acid gas passes through the several towers and acts upon .the' finely ground zinc ore to form'the soluble chlorid 1n accordance Fwith the'reaction 1 ZnO 2HC1= ZnCl; H 0. As water is formed by this reaction and as a highly concentrated solution-of the chlorid is desired, little water is mixed with the ore in 'the -first instance Indeed; once thepr'ocess s started'in operation all the water neceswill be effectively held in erous material may be crater I :g, inthe ,well known manner, by t e treat direction and there subject" sary to act as the-vehicle or carrier for the. ground material and as a solvent for the chlorid, will be formed by the reaction.

The charge from the tank 22 beneath thetower a, consisting of the concentrated solution of chlorid and the tailing, .is forced through a pi e 30 and branch pipe 31 to a suitable sett mg tank for the se aration of the solution from the tailings. y adding fresh zinc oxid in the, settling tank, any chlorid of iron present is precipitated. If the charge has not received sufficient treatment, it may beireturned from the tank 22 beneath tower a to the tank 16, above tower c by pipe 30 and branch pipe 32 for repassage through the a aratus.

Any hydroc oric gaspassin from tower 0 through exit pipe 33, is disso-ved in water contained in a receptacle 34, ofwhich several may be em loyed if necessary. The resultant acid sol charge through a pipe 35. By the direct action of hydrochloric acid gas u on a slime or pulp formed of ground oxidize zinkiferous material, it has been found inzpractice that a highly concentrated eighty ercent. solution of zinc chlorid may be forme so that further concentration, as 'with the methods usually emlployed is unnecessary. Y Y t is obvious that changes may be rhade in the details set forth without departure'from the essentials of the invention.

- 1. The method of making zinc chlorid from oxidized zinkiferous material, which consists in admixing the pulverized material in a limited uantity of a-sui table liquid carrier and circu ating the same by aid of such liquid carrier 'through a retainer chamber, the charge: being there sub'ected, in course, to hydrochloric acid gas filling the space in said chamber; about the charge; substantially as described.

2. .The method of making zinc chlorid from oxidized zinkiferous mater1al ,'which consists in admixing the pulverized material in a limited quantity of a-watery carrier sufficient to form'a slime, circ1ilating the slime, in divided ut1on may be returned into the;

masses,"through aretainer chamber in one 7 v the charge, in course, to hydrochloric fumes circulating in opposite direction in the free space in said 0 amber about the divided masses of charge,

substantially as described. v

3. The method of making zinc chlorid from oxidized zinkiferous material, which consists in admixing the pulverized material with a limited quantity of a watery carrier sufficient to'form a sluggish slime, circulating the slime by gravity flow, individed masses, through a retainer ch'amb'er'fre from liquid submersicn, and subject the divided masses, in course, to hydroc oric acid gas circulating op positely in the space about the divided 1 there subjecting the charge, in course, to

masses of charge,-Whereby the resultant zinchydrochloric acid gas circulating oppositely chlorid becomes. more concentrated as the in the spaceabout the divided mass of charge charge advances fromstage to stage, suband making further addition of pulverized 15 5 stantially as described. zinkiferous material to the charge at inter- 4. The method of making zinc chlorid from mediate points, substantiallyas escribed.

oxidized zinkiferous material, which consists ROBERT E RUST in admixing the pulverized material with a limited quantity of a Watery carrier suflicient Witnesses: 10 to form a slime, circulating the slime,'in (3110.0. STONE,

divided masses through retainer chambers, KATHARINE GERLAGH. 

